Martin Carr reviews the ninth episode of Kidding…
Not many shows include a line like ‘my pussy needs attention’ while fewer still have people getting their throats cut by inept ice dancers as a finale. Neither does glove puppet sex or the need for puppets in bedrooms come up much under normal circumstances, but needlessly to say we are not in Kansas anymore. As we near the final episode of this unique dramedy things are definitely going off the rails in a toned down way. Mobile gaming, psychological meltdowns and Jeff Pickles impersonators figure quite highly, not to mention phrases which include ‘bagpipe of insanity’ delivered deadpan by Frank Langella.
Within this penultimate episode the levels of surrealism are barely contained as Pickles On Ice finally opens and a Styrofoam Jeff dances round with Tara Lipinski. An experience both oddly in keeping with the show as a whole but also narratively important. Carrey, Langella and Keener ground the stranger elements including glove puppet sex and talking kettles without batting an eyelid, while a descent into tragedy is the ultimate pay off. Randomly numbered chickens, illegal mobile gaming apps and revolving restaurants seem tame compared to that endgame moment.
As the episodes have escalated in insanity, broadened their canvas in terms of emotional character beats and continually challenged audience expectations we have evolved. Dramatically satisfying people who tune into Kidding regularly is becoming a task. Terminal cancer jokes, story threads concerning identity theft or shadow theatre penis puppetry are considered normal. Shock tactics no longer work although anyone who tunes in late to this is going to come unstuck real quick. This is a dysfunctional family unit with few soft edges and subjective normality.
A patriarch with corporate responsibilities, a child friendly host who is emotionally unstable, unsure of his own identity and socially awkward, combines with a sister who has abandonment issues and severe communication problems. Elsewhere there are varying degrees of collateral damage including a twin who has lost his significant other, closeted husbands confined by social convention not to mention humping pantomime horses. Kidding is a minefield for those who actively tune in let alone the random channel hopper who stumbles upon it.
As has been stated in numerous reviews across several weeks this show is landmark stuff. There are award worthy performances at the very least from Carrey, Keener and Langella, while their support system is equally admirable. Mixing caustic social commentary with unflinching relationship drama, Kidding is a brave experiment without any hint of sweetener. As we head into the final episode next week questions of how you close out something like this hang in the air.
Martin Carr
Originally published November 7, 2018. Updated January 8, 2019.
